Francis represents something new in history of the Church: Eco

Published: 30 September 2013

The renowned Italian philosopher Umberto Eco says Francis is the Pope for the world of globalisation. 'I am convinced that Pope Francis is representing something absolutely new in the history of the ChurcH,' he told a newspaper, reports Vatican Insider.

In terms of communication, Pope Francis 'is better than Ratzinger, he is a modern man, he is the Pope of the Internet, he is the Pope of the world of globalisation,' said Eco, the world famous Italian semiotician, essayist, philosopher and author of the best-selling novel, The Name of the Rose.

'I am convinced that Pope Francis is representing something absolutely new in the history of the Church, and perhaps in the history of the world,' he said in an interview with the Argentine daily newspaper La Nacion, in an interview published on Saturday in Buenos Aires.

He reacted with some discomfort, however, when asked by La Nacion for his opinion of Pope Francis: 'I am extremely annoyed when the whole world asks me what I think of Pope Francis. It would be interesting to know what Pope Francis thinks of me, but I do not know…

'When some rather ingeniously ask me whether he (Francis) represents a revolution, I reply that revolutions are only evaluated after a hundred years,' Eco added.

Asked what he thought of the fact that the Pope had written a letter to the founder of the Italian daily, La Repubblica, Eugenio Scalfari, ‘a non-believer,' in response to two editorials written by him in that paper, Eco, clearly not enthusiastic, remarked, 'Well, it was an incentive for stamps'; in other words, it helped sales.